I really like sports. Growing up, I LOVED playing sports. Like if there was a sport I could be involved in, I wanted in on that action. I think its because I had older brothers and I wanted to seem legit. I was definitely a tomboy. I played softball for eight years and basketball for five. But those weren't the sport for me. Volleyball was my sport, I played it all through junior high and high school, so six years.
When I got to seventh grade I could try out for the Volleyball team. I not only made the team, but I wasn't that bad at it either. Height is not an attribute I was blessed with, so luckily I was good at setting. A quick crash course in Volleyball for anyone who doesn't know much about the sport: Each team gets three hits (or touches on the ball) to return it to the other team. Ideally this proceeds as first a bump, a basic pass using the flat part of your forearms, second a set, using the fingertips to send the ball into a high arch for the third hit, the spike. A team typically has one or two setters, depending on how you want to set up your rotation. The setter is responsible for getting the second hit, every single play. I liked this position-I got to touch the ball every single play! But most people don't want to be a setter because hitters get more glory and it's probably more satisfying to hit an amazing spike resulting in a kill (actual terminology people). But I love setting. It's a challenge, but also a position of challenge. I had to constantly be thinking about which of my hitters were having good or bad nights, which players on the other team were having good or bad nights, if I was giving everyone equal chances at hitting the ball, or if a surprise dump (sending the ball over after the second hit) was the best play. If the team was in a rut, I had a lot of control in getting us out of the rut. Too, the actual act of setting is difficult. You have to have "soft" hands, meaning you hit the ball very lightly, but also need to have good control of the ball. There is a spot on the court that the setter always stands. The idea being that the player that gets the first hit passes the ball to that point. That way you are already in a good position to set up your hitter. Sadly, most first hits did not come right to me. I would run ALL over the court to get to that second hit. Often setting the ball for my hitter while still running to get there. So to have control of the ball in those situation is difficult. We would practice setting with weighted volleyballs to build up our muscles so we could set across the court if necessary. Needless to say it was often challenging, but so much fun.
I was pegged as a setter my first year playing, and it wasn't long until I set my sights on being better than the A-team setter. By the time I got to JV I had achieved that, and by the time I got to tenth grade I made Varsity.
We had volleyball practice every day after school for two hours, and I LOVED it. Though we only spent about 20 minutes actually playing volleyball. We would do basic conditioning exercises, and lots of drills, but man were they fun. One of the drills we would do was this serving game. You would divide into two teams, and then half of each team would lay dow on the court. The rest of your team would then serve the ball and try and hit their players. Once you were hit, you could join your team in serving. First team to hit all their players won. It was fun!
I have so many good memories of being on the team. I guess all the girls probably didn't get along (because high school girls, am I right?), but I always got along with everyone. One of my favorite memories is our pre-game rituals. We always had a couple of hours to kill between school and our games. One of my very best friends and fellow teammate lived really close to the high school. So during the last period of school someone would call into our local pizza place and order everyone's food. We would pile into the student drivers' cars and pick up our pizza and then head back to our friend's house. We'd spend the next few hours eating pizza and playing Singstar. It was so much fun, and honestly some of my best memories from high school.
I miss volleyball so much. And I know I went to a super small school, so competition to be on the team wasn't as bad, but I was good. I feel like I'm pretty average at most things, but not volleyball. I am good at volleyball. It's been well over a year since I've touched a volleyball, so I know my skills have seriously deteriorated, but I'm still down to play whenever anyone asks!
When I got to seventh grade I could try out for the Volleyball team. I not only made the team, but I wasn't that bad at it either. Height is not an attribute I was blessed with, so luckily I was good at setting. A quick crash course in Volleyball for anyone who doesn't know much about the sport: Each team gets three hits (or touches on the ball) to return it to the other team. Ideally this proceeds as first a bump, a basic pass using the flat part of your forearms, second a set, using the fingertips to send the ball into a high arch for the third hit, the spike. A team typically has one or two setters, depending on how you want to set up your rotation. The setter is responsible for getting the second hit, every single play. I liked this position-I got to touch the ball every single play! But most people don't want to be a setter because hitters get more glory and it's probably more satisfying to hit an amazing spike resulting in a kill (actual terminology people). But I love setting. It's a challenge, but also a position of challenge. I had to constantly be thinking about which of my hitters were having good or bad nights, which players on the other team were having good or bad nights, if I was giving everyone equal chances at hitting the ball, or if a surprise dump (sending the ball over after the second hit) was the best play. If the team was in a rut, I had a lot of control in getting us out of the rut. Too, the actual act of setting is difficult. You have to have "soft" hands, meaning you hit the ball very lightly, but also need to have good control of the ball. There is a spot on the court that the setter always stands. The idea being that the player that gets the first hit passes the ball to that point. That way you are already in a good position to set up your hitter. Sadly, most first hits did not come right to me. I would run ALL over the court to get to that second hit. Often setting the ball for my hitter while still running to get there. So to have control of the ball in those situation is difficult. We would practice setting with weighted volleyballs to build up our muscles so we could set across the court if necessary. Needless to say it was often challenging, but so much fun.
I was pegged as a setter my first year playing, and it wasn't long until I set my sights on being better than the A-team setter. By the time I got to JV I had achieved that, and by the time I got to tenth grade I made Varsity.
We had volleyball practice every day after school for two hours, and I LOVED it. Though we only spent about 20 minutes actually playing volleyball. We would do basic conditioning exercises, and lots of drills, but man were they fun. One of the drills we would do was this serving game. You would divide into two teams, and then half of each team would lay dow on the court. The rest of your team would then serve the ball and try and hit their players. Once you were hit, you could join your team in serving. First team to hit all their players won. It was fun!
I have so many good memories of being on the team. I guess all the girls probably didn't get along (because high school girls, am I right?), but I always got along with everyone. One of my favorite memories is our pre-game rituals. We always had a couple of hours to kill between school and our games. One of my very best friends and fellow teammate lived really close to the high school. So during the last period of school someone would call into our local pizza place and order everyone's food. We would pile into the student drivers' cars and pick up our pizza and then head back to our friend's house. We'd spend the next few hours eating pizza and playing Singstar. It was so much fun, and honestly some of my best memories from high school.
I miss volleyball so much. And I know I went to a super small school, so competition to be on the team wasn't as bad, but I was good. I feel like I'm pretty average at most things, but not volleyball. I am good at volleyball. It's been well over a year since I've touched a volleyball, so I know my skills have seriously deteriorated, but I'm still down to play whenever anyone asks!
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